smith



Oct. 2, 1934. v w, D. SMITH COMBINATION ARTICLE Filed June 2, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet F/fPST /Y/l THIN/i L BA Nh nvenfor LllildV flllorlzcy W. D. SMITH COMBINATION ARTICLE Oct. 2, 1934.

Filed June 2. 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Got. 2, 1934 naires stares terasse sereni orgies,

1,975,559 ooMINA'rroN carrots Willis D. Smith, Sapulpa, Okla. Application June 2, i933, serial Nc. 674,115

' 3 oiarma (ci. ce1- 31) This invention is a combination wallet, check- Y book, and ngerprinting device whereby money, blank checks, and means for applying a finger print to a check for anti-frauding purposes may be conveniently carried about ones person.

A salient feature of the invention is the provision of anv improved n'ger printing device.

A still further feature of the invention is the provision of an improved ink pad forming part of the nger printing device. v

The invention together with its numerous objects will be best understood froma study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein` is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention;

It is to be understood that the invention is in no Wise intended to be restricted to the precise details of construction, combination and arrangement of elements as herein illustrated and described, other than may be necessary to meet the requirements of the prior art and scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the combination ar- 1 ticle in a closed or folded condition.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the article in an extended or unfolded condition.

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 with the block of checks removed, and the finger printing device shown in closed position.

Figures e, 6, '7 and 8 are sectional views taken substantially on the lines 4 4, 6 6, 7 7 and 8-8 respectively of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the stub-end of the block of checks.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view illustrating certain details of construction to be hereinafter more fully referred to.

Figure 10 is a plan view of the ink pad.

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 11-11 of Figure 10, and

Figure 12 is a fragmentary plan View of a corner portion of a metal blank forming part of the ink pad.

Y Referring to the drawings by reference numerals it will be seen that 1 indicates generally a wallet of leather or of other suitable material and provided with a pocket 2 for receiving currency and a cover flap 3. In actual practice the body :of the wallet is adapted to be folded upon itself, and the flap 3 folded over the body in a manner thought clear from Figure 1; the wallet being retained in its folded or closed position through the medium of a suitable two-part fastener indi- Icated generally by the reference numeral 4.

In accordance with the present invention the body of the wallet 1, at that end thereof remote from the iiap 3 has stitched thereto as at 5 a broad ilat strip 6 of leather or other suitable material to engage a retaining tongue 8 provided on the blockrof checks 9 for holding said block of checks in a manner clearly suggested in Figure 2 so as to be readily accessible, and easily lled in when the wallet is in an unfolded or extended position.

Further in accordance with the present invention the flap 3 of the wallet is provided on its inner side with a nger printing device designated generally by the reference numeral 10.

In the present instance the finger printing device 10 comprises a pair of pockets 11, 12, and a closure 13 of leather or other suitable material common to the pockets 11, 12 and provided with a sight window 14. The pocket 11 is adapted to removably receive therein an ink pad 15 while the pocket 12 is adapted to removably receive therein a pad 16 of any suitable material for wiping the ink off the linger after a print of the iinger has been made on one of the checks 9. As will be noted, the walls of the pockets 11, 12 over which the closure 13 is foldable are provided with openings 17, 18 to permit ready application of the linger to the pads contained in the pockets.

In the present instance the pockets 11, 12 are formed by securing to the inner side of the flap 3 a rectangular piece 18 of leather or other suitable material, and securing the leather piece 18 to the ap 3 along the bottom and end marginal edges of the piece and also transversely intermediate the ends of the piece by stitching 19. The piece 18 of course is suitably apertured to provide the openings 1'7, 18. The cover 13 for the pocket is also formed from a piece 0f leather which is stitched at one longitudinal edge thereof as at 20 to the inner face of the cover iiap 3. The leather piece from which the cover 13 is formed is provided with a suitable opening across which is disposed a sheet of celluloid or the like suitably stitched at its edges to the leather piece for providing the sight window lll.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the construction of the pad 15 in a manner to prevent the ink seeping through the material oi the flap 3 thus staining the inside of the pocket in which the wallet is carried. To this end the body of the pad l5 is of more or less conventional structure consisting of a filler of felt 21 entirely enveloped by a covering of suitable cloth 22. However, for the purpose above suggested one face of the pad is covered entirely by a sheet 23 of metal or other suitable material, and the marginal edge portions 23a of the metal sheet 23 are bent along the lines 24 over the marginal edge of the pad 15 in a manner clearly suggested in Figure ll for securing the sheet and pad in assembled relation thereby providing a backing plate for the pad which will positively preclude the ink on the back of the pad from coming into contact with the material of the flap 3. To facilitate the bending of the edge portions 23a of the sheet 23, said sheet at the corners thereof is provided with the diagonal edges 25. It will thus be seen that When the edges 23a of the sheet 23 are :folded and clinched upon the marginal edges of the pad 15 a neat joint is provided at the corners of the pad as Will be clear from a study of Figure 10.

In actual practice the currency is carried in the pocket 2 of the wallet While the block of checks 9 is arranged at the inner side of the Wallet and will of course fold upon the folding of the wallet to the condition shown in Figure l. Thus the person filling out one of the checks 9 may readily apply prints of the thumb or any one of his fingers to the signed check as a means to prevent the perpetration of a fraud. To this end it is suggested that the finger prints be applied at the two places suggested in the drawings.

It will thus be seen that with a device of this character a person will always have at hand the rneans of applying his nger prints to the check, and that the combination article may be carried about onefs person, the arrangement being such as not to present a bundlesome and unwieldly article,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:-

1. A Wallet having in combination a closure ap, a substantially rectangular piece of leather on the inside of said ilap and united therewith along both end edges and one longitudinal edge of said piece, said piece being also united with the closure iiap intermediate the ends of the piece and providing with said closure flap a pair of pockets on the inner side thereof, said piece at opposite sides of a transverse median being also apertured to provide openings for the pocket, and a second piece of leather united adjacent one edge thereof with said closure iiap and foldable relative to the rst named leather piece to provide a closure for said pocket and for the apertures thereof.

2. A Wallet having in combination a closure flap and a pair of relatively small pockets on the inner side of said flap, one of said pockets being adapted to receive an ink pad, and the other of said pockets being adapted to receive a wiping pad, and each of said pockets having one Wall thereof provided with an aperture for exposing the contents of said pocket and for use of such contents without removal of the same from each pocket.

3. A Wallet having in combination a closure iiap and a pair of relatively small pockets on the inner side of said flap, one of said pockets being adapted to receive an ink pad, and the other of said pockets being adapted to receive awiping pad, and each of said pockets having one wall thereof provided with an aperture for exposing the contents o said pockets and for use of such contents Without removal of the same from each pocket, and a closure common to said pockets secured to the flap, and said closurevhaving a sight window equipped ,portion foldable over the apertured Walls of said pockets.

WILLIS D. SMITH.

Mtl 

